A Clone Wars story: Vaine and Akura
by Alversia
Summary: Following two Jedi as they fight through the trials and difficulties of the Clone Wars!
1. Battle of Thyferra

The day on Thyferra was hot, unpleasantly hot, the kind of hot that pervaded every nook and cranny, no matter how hard one tried to avoid it. That in itself was no surprise, for Thyferra was in a continuous state of warmth, the result of a humid climate that penetrated even the thick jungles that remained in almost permanent shade. The sky was a bright, almost invisible blue, the sun large and unrelenting in its pounding of the surface and those unlucky enough to be there. At times it could be pleasant, amongst the thick trunks of trees wizened by centuries of strain and wear, bark bleached white in the sun. Alone they were nothing. Together their thick, green leaves created a canopy layer almost dense enough to walk on...almost.

The ground itself was populated by the roots and foundations of the great trees, supported by a rainbow of flowers in every shape and colour imagination, a riot of deep blues, violent yellows and stunning moody reds added to the sense of humidity in the underworld. Even the light itself was filtered through the treetops to create a strange green glow to the light. When creatures of all species joined in the pleasure, co-existing as nature had always intending, be it feasting on the plants, feasting on each other, roosting in the tall treetops or simply lapping crystal-like water from one of the many small pools into which water dripped from the branches of the ever present trees, like a god giving his subjects life. Yes, Thyferra could be peaceful.

At the moment however, it was far from peaceful. The screeches and cries of the forest's inhabitants was drowned out by the sounds of war, explosions, screams, the tearing sound of blaster fire ripping through warm flesh and cold metal alike, the deep hum as machines of war moved through the jungle undergrowth, some more quietly than others, searching for more prey. The whitened bark, undisturbed for hundreds of years was scorched an unattractive black from the weapon's fire, many animals lay dead amongst the Visitors, skeleton- like metal beings were mixed with the uniformly sized humans, their white armour gleaming in the sun, dull eyes hidden being the T-shaped visor. Those who survived ran backwards, stopping every now and then to return fire from their long and comparatively unwieldy rifles, or digging into what appeared to be a promising position, only to be blown out again by the Droid Armour. Red bolts mixed with blue as both sides exchanged fire. For this was the new way of the universe and the Clone Wars had come to Thyferra.

It was sixty one days after the battle of Geonosis, the battle that launched the war in a spectacular killing spree, victory earned in the blood of hundreds of Jedi and thousands of Clones. The newly formed Grand Army of the Republic was now scattered throughout the galaxy, fighting against forces that outnumbered it by a terrifying measure. Accompanying them were the Jedi, newly promoted Generals of the Republic who now committed their combined experience of a hundred conflicts and thousands of hours worth of training to this new Army. The war was still in the balance however, though Thyferra was not.

On top of a small mound acting as his command post, Commander Arlos looked at holo-projections of the battlefield and sighed a sigh of frustration. He was warm, even with his cooling systems running at maximum power, and it did not help that his Brigade, the 95th, was very much losing this battle. The AT-TEs they had been given were too big to manoeuvre through the trees without falling foul of some opportunistic Battle droid with a missile launcher in his hands, their LAAT's couldn't penetrate the canopy to offer their support, so Arlos' Clones found themselves fighting along against any number of Droids with their smaller, lighter tanks and therefore increased firepower. It was a battle they were doomed to lose, and once they had been defeated, then the way to Xozhini, the capital of Thyferra was open, the planet would be forced to surrender and the Republic would lose its main supply base for the life giving Bacta, desperately needed in a war of millions across thousands of star systems. The choice was simple, lose Thyferra and the Republic could kiss it's wounded goodbye and hope to replace double the numbers it was already forced to by the dead alone. If Thyferra was lost, the Republic was already on its way to defeat.

Arlos removed his yellow lined helmet, feeling the heat wash over him like a wave; he wiped his brow down, remarking that the Kaminoan Armour, for all its disadvantages, had one hell of a cooling system. He looked down to see heavy cannons firing blindly into the canopy, hoping to hit foe instead of friend, his Clone brothers pulling back as they were overwhelmed by the Droid tanks. He was unsure of what to do, the training simulations had never really prepared him for this. All he could do was slow his own retreat until...

"...warm day to be without a helmet, don't you think?" A voice spoke up behind him, with an air of amusement. Arlos twisted on the spot, his heart soaring when he saw the two figures cloaked in brown, faces hidden. He lowered his head in acknowledge of their authority, for finally the Jedi had arrived!

The taller of the two took a step forward and lowered his hood, revealing a middle aged human with black hair, through streaks of grey were running through it now, his face was narrow but well rounded, lines of age around his mouth and dark blue eyes. He was of a slim build, thin, but not too thin so as to be a pushover, Arlos could tell from looking at him that he had the power where it mattered. He could also _feel_ the aurora radiating from him, like an unknown power just inhabited his very being. Arlos was still trying to figure this out when the second Jedi lowered its hood to reveal a girl. Specifically, a female Twi'lek whose appearance was in total contrast to her Comrade, she looked much, much younger, painfully young in fact, her skin bore a greenish/blue hue with her two long tails stretching down her back, twitching every now and then. Her light, thin form was hidden beneath the bulky cloak but from the way she carried herself, the Clone knew she was a tough one, equally as tough as her master.

"Getting a bit hot under the collar are we?" the human asked again, the mirth evident in his tone.

"It's been a rough one," Arlos acknowledged, "It's a pleasure to finally meet you Generals…?" the Clone Commander stopped, inviting an introduction from the pair.

The Human took up the introduction,  
"I am Jedi Master Kellin Vaine and this is my Apprentice Ardana Akura. So tell me Commander…?"  
"Arlos, Sir."

"Tell me Commander Arlos, how is the battle shaping up?" Vaine asked, looking over the holo-projector with interest, Akura standing behind silently him.

Arlos look a deep breath,  
"Not good general, the Separatists are driving us back, we have no armour or no air support while the Droids seem to have plenty of the former, I'm out of contact with half my Brigade, our frontline has been splintered and the Enemy tanks are advancing on our forward Command Post." He decided to omit the consequences of losing Thyferra, knowing the General would already be well aware of those devastating consequences.

"Hmm…" Master Vaine appeared to be thinking, watching the mini-clones retreat ever further backwards, Trade Federation AAT's travelling in two long columns through the few paths wide enough to admit them, easily brushing off attacks from the AT-RTs that attempted to hold them, blowing them to pieces in moments, each of the Columns supported by long lines of escorting Battle droids jogging alongside to deter any would-be Hero.

Vaine turned to Akura and, to Arlos, it seemed like they were sharing information or reading each other's minds. The Commander waited patiently until a smile crept across the faces of both Jedi, turning back to the Clone,  
"Tell me Commander, are you equipped with many explosives?"

It was an odd question that caught Arlos a little off balance, but he nodded regardless,

"Yes general, we have an ample supply, but the droids will spot a minefield easily, and we don't have the time to lay one anyway."  
"Who said anything about a minefield?" Vaine smiled and glanced at Akura with a small nod,

"Split up?" She suggested in a soft voice, the first time Arlos had heard her speak,

"Split up." Her Master confirmed as both shrugged off their cloaks to reveal lighter more tight-fitting clothes underneath; Arlos couldn't help but glance down at the handles that consisted of their only weapon. '_Lightsabers…I wouldn't want to be those Droids'_ he thought to himself, suddenly full of optimism at the Jedi's confidence. For he no longer had any doubt which way the battle would go.

It was to be a good day for the Republic.

A little over an hour later and, along one of the paths down which the Separatist Armour would be advancing, Twi'lek Padawan Ardana Akura crouched out of sight of the main advance. With her were Commander Arlos and any number of Clone troopers that she had been able to scoop up from the rear of the Republic Line, arm with as many explosive packs as possible and throw back into this little ambush of hers. Arlos had been right about the minefield. There was no time to dig up the root-filled soil, bury the mines and retreat before the AAT's and their escorts were upon them. However, however, three mines stuck to the blindside of a tree that had fallen across the path gave no such problems. Akura had chosen a spot where the ground on either side of the path sloped upwards to form a small valley through this part of the forest. Behind the several metre thick trees that rose along both sides of the path, Clone troops checked their rifles and checked the sticky explosive charges, trying to quell their nerves, immaculate white armour now smeared with greens, browns, blacks and reds from the battle.

Akura crouched next to Arlos, feeling the sweat running down her face in the heat. The young Jedi was wearing her usual deep brown trousers with a tan, almost skin coloured top, the top did not cover her arms and nor did it cover two semi-circle's of flesh on either side of her stomach, the blue skin visible and streaked with damp like the rest of her exposed body.

Arlos gripped his rifle in one hand and a charge in the other, looking over the Twi'lek with a combination of apprehension and curiosity. She seemed to sense his gaze for she turned and offered him a cute smile,  
"Something on your mind, Commander?" She asked in a quiet tone, keeping her voice down as finally the tanks droned into view, the skeletal B1 Battle droids moving down either side of the AATs.

"You just seem a little…young…to be a general," He admitted, "if someone had told me before we landed that they were sending a Youngster to lead in this battle then I might have been a little more worried." He wondered how she would take the news of his lack of faith.

If anything, her smile seemed to grow and, if she did feel any hurt from his rather blunt statement, she hid it well behind those deep green eyes, "If someone had told me last year that the Republic would gather an army of Clones to fight battle droids across the galaxy, then I would have been a little more worried." She whispered. Arlos couldn't help but smile behind his visor, he liked the young Padawan. He couldn't dwell on it though. The tanks had reached the tree.

The lead Droid tank droned onward, repulsors lifting the heavy machine over the trunk with little difficulty. Fortunately, they did not see the mine's being armed as they passed overhead, a rapidly increased beeping being the only sign as all three detonated at the same time, blowing a large hole in the back of the AAT and dropping it to the ground almost immediately, a follow up explosion tore the turret clean from the tank and piece of shrapnel cut into the two lines of escorts, hacking them down as easily as any lightsaber.

"Now!" Akura called as she stepped out from her cover and threw the charge as hard as she could, tapping into the Force to guide her aim. Sure enough, she saw it attach to the front section of the second Tank before it exploded, the force of the device penetrating the armour and devastated the vehicle within, it seemingly erupting from the inside out, knocking down even more droids. All along the column, the same thing happened, Clones threw the charges at the tanks and, one by one, they were knocked out, along with the battle droids, either by the explosions of their protégés or by the blue blaster bolts that were loosed from the banks of the slopes, as Clones switched to their rifles to cut down the exposed machines.

Akura leapt from her cover and jumped down into the valley, Arlos and his Clones not far behind, she quickly grabbed for her lightsaber and ignited it, the humming, green glow visible even through the black smoke of the destroyed Separatist armour. Almost immediately, she spun the weapon to deflect two shots from Droids further back, her every move graceful, the bolts returning to strike their Senders, knocking both to the floor. The Clones moved swiftly, using the cover of the tanks and support from the AT-RTs, the bipedal walkers now kings of this battlefield, to blow the unprepared B1's apart. Akura led from the front, easily blocking the sporadic return fire and cutting down any droids in her way. They proceeded up the ruined column before finally; they reached the final tank. This AAT had yet to be disabled however and now it was firing Its secondary armament, a pair of blasters mounted to stalks on either side of the tank, blowing Clones in all directions and knocking out AT-RTs like it was simple target practise. Arlos turned to Akura,

"We can't get close to it," he pointed to the Droids who appeared to be making a final stand, their backs to the tank as they fired at any gleam of white armour present. They fired towards the main group, but they quickly took shelter behind the blackened hulk of another knocked out vehicle, several Clones braving the blaster fire every now and then to return it themselves, firing a short burst before hastily retreating behind shelter again.

Akura nodded and gripped her weapon,  
"Leave it to me," She smiled and steeled herself, muscles tensing as she concentrated on something. Then, without warning, she leapt, high into the air, over their protective cover and right onto the front ledge of the tank itself. Arlos gasped at her display as, in one sweeping move, she decapitated four droids directly in front of her, the tank unable to fire at her because of her proximity to it. Akura saw several Droids turn to face her but she simply called on the force, using it as her weapon, threw her hand out and sent the Droids flying through the air, limbs swinging wildly as if they could alter their flight path.

"Give her some covering fire!" Arlos yelled angrily at his Troops. They responded immediately, rising as one from their various covers to flood the remaining Battle droids in blaster fire, easily cutting them down, the tank overwhelmed with targets, able to fire at only a select few at a time. A pair of Clones on the bank were hit by the fire from the tank, sending them tumbling down through the undergrowth, their path marked by the crushed plant life.

Akura acted quickly, spinning the lightsaber in her hand, she stabbed it into the opaque bubble on the front of the tank, hearing a violent hiss as it penetrated the armour and stabbed the driver within. Sure enough, the tank stopped moving, the gunner no longer able to fire to either side. Akura withdrew her weapon from the bubble and stabbed again, cutting a little hole into it just big enough to admit a thermal detonator. She casually took one from her belt and dropped it into the tank, leaping from the doomed AAT and retreating swiftly back to cover. The explosion was dull and anti-climatic compared to the others, more like a mere thud, but the results were no less effective, smoke rose from the hatches on the tank and it simply dropped to the ground, guns silent.

The quiet after the battle was almost overwhelming, even the animals had stopped, as if they were looking on to see the outcome of the fight. Arlos strode forward in disbelief, looking over the Twi'lek Padawan in stunned silence, an expression shared by his men,

"That was…incredible…" The Commander was lost for words.

Akura extinguished her lightsaber and slipped it back onto her belt, a satisfied smile adorned her face,  
"Still worried?" She asked in jest, to which Arlos could only laugh.

Across at the other path, Jedi Master Vaine waved an inquisitive fly away from his sweating face. The heat in this jungle really was deeply unpleasant and all pervading, even here, in the shade of the trees; it was terribly sticky, with his damp clothes clinging stubbornly to his back. He pushed such thoughts of discomfort to the back of his mind, allowing himself to focus on the beauty of his surroundings. This forest was so full of colours, so full of smells, so full of life, so full of the Force. Had this been a different time, he knew he would have enjoyed just sitting here, in this forest, taking in the energy around him, allowing it to fill his heart and rejuvenate an aging soul. He sighed as a crashing explosion jolted him from his thoughts and reminded him of why he had come here in the first place. The Jedi were not soldiers, they were certainly _not_ Generals, not in his opinion. The Republic had an Army now; it had no need to use the Jedi as a 'pick-up-and-use' Officer's Corps whenever it felt like. Sadly, his opinion that the Jedi should be an organisation dedicated to the knowledge and understanding of the Force seemed to be in the minority, he had never gone against the Council before and, if they wanted him to lead the defence of Thyferra, then he would do that to the best of his ability.

His attention was turned back to the matter at hand when one of the Clone Captains, Captain Locke, approached him,  
"We have redeployed the cannon as you requested General." He reported.

"Camouflage?" Vaine did not even need to turn to face him, instead looking out over the forest, trying to hear his enemy approach.

"Yes General," The Clone nodded.

"Then we are ready. Deploy the men as instructed and we shall see if we can cause these Droids a few problems." He offered a reassuring smile to the Captain and headed back past the guns. The Clones had done well, unless one knew what they were looking for, they would never see them just in front and to the sides of the path. Even Droids could suffer from overconfidence.

Vaine settled down with Captain Locke just behind the guns, listening as the hum of repulsors engines grew slowly louder and louder. To his left and right, he could see Clone Troopers steadily making their way up the tree trunks, stopping only when they had found secure branches that could take their weight, settling down in preparation for the battle ahead. Other Clones buried themselves in the undergrowth, gripping their weapons in anticipation of what was to come. Vaine was calm, yet he could not pretend that he was not feeling the nerves. If his plan succeeded, then the advance would be stopped here. If not, then the cannons would be destroyed, the tanks would run over the Republic's lines and the planet was as good as gone. He closed his eyes and felt out with the force, trying to find his Apprentice. When he did find her, he could feel joy from her. It filled his heart with hope. If she was happy, then her own ambush must have worked. That left all down to him.

His thoughts were interrupted though, as the tanks finally turned the corner and came into view, a long line of AAT tanks complete with Battle droid escorts. From his position, Vaine could see the armoured bow of the vehicle appearing deceptively large, moving steadily closer to his position. However, as he watched it, he saw one of the Battle droids stop, as if he had spotted something.

His mistake.

"All guns!" The Jedi Master called at the top of his voice, "Fire at will!"

He watched in satisfaction as the hidden guns finally opened up on the surprised AATs, unable to see the guns thanks to a combination of camouflage and sensor jammers. The half dozen heavy cannons were firing at virtually point-blank range, impossible to miss. Sure enough, explosions began to rock the column, as tank after tank erupted into flames under the impact of the artillery fire. At the same time, those Battle droids that survived the explosions were cut down by either the Clones in the shrubs or the Sharpshooters in the trees. A few Clones fell to return fire but, by and large, it was a quick battle, over in minutes and marked by burning carcasses of AATs and Separatist Droids. The Clones moved cautiously in the wreckage while Vaine stood and surveyed it from his position behind the guns.

Captain Locke, approached the Jedi, offering a salute,  
"Sir, the Droids are withdrawing from their forward positions."

"Perhaps they've suddenly got cold feet?" Vaine smiled, realising that the heat was, if anything, even worse, now that several burning tanks had added their heat to the humidity of Thyferra's jungles. For the moment however, the planet itself was safe.

For the moment.


	2. Reinforcements?

"This is proving to be a very difficult battle."

"Indeed, Master, our casualties have been heavy already. Commander Arlos doesn't feel the frontline will hold for another attack."

"Has he taken troops from the rear echelon?"

"He's doing it now Master, seeing how many men he can take from the city to reinforce the frontlines."

The conversation between Master and Apprentice continued as they walked through the jungle towards the rear command post, passing a column of Clone Troopers marching in step back towards the frontline. In the two days since the Jedi had been on planet the maelstrom of fighting had died down to mere skirmishing, as the Separatists pulled back to lick their wounds and the Republic tried to pull it's ragged lines back into order. The Jedi were accompanied on their journey by wounded troopers, some with blaster wounds, and others with shrapnel damage. Vaine's mind was racing with potential enemy strategies, thinking of counter-strategies, blow and counterblow. It made things all the more difficult that the Republic were so on the back foot in this theatre, any mistake could be fatal for the war effort. Akura seemed to sense his stress and turned to face him, concern in her eyes,  
"Master, we can actually win, can't we?" She asked in a small voice, afraid of the answer.

Vaine stopped and turned to the young Twi'lek, inwardly cursing that he had not sensed her apprehension before. He had been so wrapped up in the necessary duties of leading a campaign; he had not even considered that perhaps she might be frightened by the situation they had found themselves in. She was young, still inexperienced and the odds suddenly stacked against them were intimidating at best. Vaine forced the worries from his mind and smiled at his Apprentice, his first duty was always to his Padawan, the war came second.

"Don't worry about it," He said to her in a strong yet comforting tone, "sure things look difficult now, but when has the way of the Jedi ever been easy? Where's the challenge in that?" He chuckled lightly, seeing her smile appreciatively. He could sense her sprits rising slightly but not by much, nothing he could say would persuade her from her own train of thought. It was a concern that his usually confident Padawan was doubtful about the campaign. A moment later, the path down which they wandered opened up into a clearing in the middle of the jungle, filled with communications equipment, wounded Clones and the one AT-TE that the Republic had been able to drop into the forest. Commander Arlos was there, as were numerous AV-7 heavy cannon, the same type as those used to repel the second Droid column.

"Commander" Akura called as soon as the Command post came into view, moving away from Vaine towards Arlos and another Captain "What troops could you bring from the rear?"

"Not many," Arlos replied grimly, "A company's worth perhaps, but not enough to replace our losses."

"A company's enough," She said brightly, clapping Arlos on the shoulder, "since when has a battle ever been decided by numbers?"

Vaine couldn't help but smile proudly at Akura as she talked with the Clone troopers. No matter what she personally thought and felt, she would never let her doubts show on the surface, always bringing confidence to the table, a confidence that was always infectious. One day, the Twi'lek would make a fine Jedi knight, someone the Order could be rightly proud of. He suppressed a yawn, neither of them had been sleeping well because of the heat, which didn't seem to relent even at night. He headed towards the holoprojector and stood in front of it, awaiting the transmission that had dragged him back from the frontlines and into this rear Command post. Akura had not needed to come but she had insisted, she wanted to 'see what we've got behind us'. In truth, Vaine knew she wanted the company, the assurance.

Suddenly, the projector burst into life, the translucent form of a small, green alien creature, with large sharp ears and old yet sparkling eyes. Vaine offered the Jedi Master a respective bow,

"Master Vaine, going well your campaign is?" He asked in a respectful tone.

"The lines are holding for the moment Master Yoda," Vaine did not mince words, "however, our casualties have been heavy and we're stuck on the defensive until we can bolster our numbers."

Yoda thought for a moment, ears twitching slightly, "Stretched thin, the Army is. Have many Soldiers to reinforce you, we do not."

"Master Yoda," Vaine could feel himself getting annoyed, "this planet is critical to the war effort of the Republic. There must be _something_…even a squadron of TX-130s would be enough to help turn the tide of the battle."

"See what I can do I shall," Yoda bowed, "Speak to the Chancellor I will, persuade him to release more forces to aide you."

"Thank you Master," Vaine nodded his head in appreciation of the Jedi Master's promises, "We shall hold for as long as we can."

"Have faith in your abilities, the Council does," Yoda confirmed, "Send Master Ti we shall, to assist you. How progresses your Padawan Learner?"

"She can be…reckless and immature at times," Vaine allowed, delighted in the news that Shaak Ti was arriving, but then realised he was being unfair to Akura, "But she has a great spirit and the potential to be something great. I think she'll make a magnificent Knight someday."

"But not now?",

"She still has much to learn of the Force, Master Yoda, and her recklessness could lead to…problems…"

"Leave it in your hands I will. Proven yourself an able teacher you have."

"Thank you," Vaine smiled, a compliment from Master Yoda was not a thing to be taken lightly.

"Depart I will, speak with the Chancellor I must." Yoda bowed his head, signalling that he must be getting on with business, "May the Force be with you.

"And with you Master Yoda," Vaine stated as the screen faded out to nothing. He stared at it for several moments, deep in thought at the conversation that had just been undertaken. The main thing was that reinforcements were not guaranteed, and that would be awkward. However, the addition of Master Shaak Ti would be invaluable to the defence of Thyferra. She was a powerful Jedi, one of the best. He knew he could use her help.

He turned back to his Padawan, the Twi'lek returning from her conversation with Arlos, eyes bright with hope that her Master would deliver some brilliant news and make all her worries disappear. Vaine could sense it, the hope, and decided to cut in first before she could ask him the crushing question,  
"Well, what did Arlos manage scrap together?"

Akura looked surprised at his rushed question, just as she was drawing breath for her own, but she answered dutifully, "Not much Master. A company perhaps, few AT-RTs used for security reasons and a TX-130 with one working cannon from the repair shops."

"That's it?" He asked, surprised, "What happened to the rest of the Brigade?"

"Dead, lost or wounded," Akura explained casually, "Most of the armour was left behind in the rush to get here. According to Arlos, the Droid Army just appeared out of nowhere."

"What do you mean 'just appeared'?" Vaine was more confused than ever, "they didn't just materialise out of thin air."

"Well…" Akura was struggling to rationalise what Arlos had told her, who in turn had heard it from the Natives present at the time, "…apparently, there was no Hyperspace trail, no fleet in orbit, no nothing. The landing craft just came down and an Army just unloaded. Arlos' men were virtually thrown on the transports to get here."

"Wait a minute," Vaine frowned, thinking on his feet, "if they have no battleship support, why don't we just bombard their landing zone from orbit?"

"Because we don't have any warships ourselves," Akura replied stiffly, disliking her perceived interrogation at the hands of her Master, "And every ship that does make it into orbit is destroyed by some kind of gun the Droids have on the surface."

"So that debris field we passed when we were landing…" the Jedi Master began, mind running back to when they had arrived in system, their _Acclamator_-Class ship merely launching their shuttle then retreating, leaving the shuttle to dodge a field of metal fragments as it came in to land.

"…was once the supporting fleet for Arlos' Brigade before it was destroyed." Akura finished dryly, "So reinforcements can't be landed until the gun is destroyed." She paused for a moment, and then spoke quickly, before her Master could speak again, determined to dispel her nerves on a matter she knew he had been dancing around,  
"what reinforcements are being dispatched, by the way?"

Vaine hesitated, sensing the hope rising again,

"Well…Master Ti is on her way to help our defence."

He could sense his Padawan's rising excitement quickly crushed by despair as she searched his feelings and saw the truth,  
"That's all they're sending, isn't it?" She said bitterly, "All we have is one Jedi Master to reinforce us. They'll overrun us."

"Master Yoda is doing all he can to get us help," Vaine said soothingly, putting a comforting hand on her shoulder, "We'll win. Don't worry about it. Between you, me and Master Ti, this will be the easiest mission on the history of the Jedi Order!" He said it brightly and he saw her try to hold back a laugh. The normally serious Jedi Master acting so enthusiastically, was always a funny occasion and it gave her real hope. He could feel it from her. As she broke off and headed back to Arlos, Vaine felt a warm wave of affection for the young Twi'lek. She was like a daughter to him and, though sometimes he acted otherwise, he wouldn't have her any other way.


End file.
